Media releases

The annual rodeo season continues this weekend at the Waikato rodeo. Like last year, animals will be at risk of injury or death. Two animals died last rodeo season, both at ‘Mad Bull’ rodeo events in Otago. Waikato locals are planning to protest the rodeo. Read more

The annual rodeo season continues this weekend at the Outram rodeo near Dunedin. Like last year, animals will be at risk of injury or death. Two animals died last rodeo season, both at ‘Mad Bull’ rodeo events in Otago. SAFE spokesperson Will Appelbe said the treatment of animals at rodeo...

On Wednesday, Germany’s Cabinet approved legislation that will prohibit the practice of killing newly hatched male chicks from 1 January next year. Instead, Germany will use in-ovo gender technology, which enables egg producers to test the sex of embryos inside the egg during the early stages of incubation. Read more

Ocean Ute, which arrived at Port Taranaki yesterday, is the second live export ship to arrive in New Zealand this year. Taranaki Animal Rights Group has two demonstrations planned for today. A protest at midday and a vigil at 6.30pm tonight. The number of cattle exported from New Zealand has...

The Ministry of Health has for the first time acknowledged the correlation between sustainable diets and the climate emergency. The Ministry’s new eating guidelines say there is an urgent need to promote diets that are healthy and have low environmental impacts. Read more

Eight greyhounds have been euthanised since December 18 after sustaining racing injuries. This includes five in Whanganui at what animal rights organisation SAFE is calling a ‘death track’. SAFE spokesperson Will Appelbe is calling on the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to immediately close the Whanganui track for an investigation....

The Canterbury rodeo is part of the annual rodeo season, which last season saw two animals killed at rodeo events. Both animals died at the Mad Bull rodeo in Otago. SAFE spokesperson Will Appelbe said rodeo events cause pain, fear and distress to animals. Read more

Live export ship Dareen is expected to arrive at Napier Port this week to export a consignment of cows. This is the eighth livestock vessel to arrive at the Port this year. The cows are being exported for breeding purposes but will eventually be slaughtered in their destination country. Read...

Live export ship Yangtze Harmony is expected to arrive at Port Taranaki this week to export a consignment of cows. This is the seventh livestock vessel to arrive at the Port this year. The cows are being exported for breeding purposes but will eventually be slaughtered in their destination country....

Last month the High Court found that the Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor, on the advice of the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC), had acted unlawfully by not phasing out the use of farrowing crates and mating stalls. Now that the Government has accepted the Court’s decision, SAFE and...

This Saturday, so-called ‘cowboys’ will put animals at risk of injury or death at the ‘Mad Bull’ rodeo in Otago and the WFL Bull Ride Martinborough. Two bulls were killed at the Mad Bull rodeo last year, and another was killed at the Martinborough bull ride in 2018. Read more

Last year, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) embarked on a review of the live export industry, the outcome of which could be a ban on the trade. Despite this, MPI is currently advertising for a manager to look after live animal exports. The ministry says this is a team...

The annual rodeo season continues this weekend with the first of three ‘Mad Bull’ rodeos on Saturday. Like last year, animals will be at risk of injury or death. Two animals died last rodeo season, both at ‘Mad Bull’ events. SAFE spokesperson Will Appelbe said the treatment of animals at...

New figures from Greyhound Racing New Zealand’s 2020 annual report show the industry still has a problem with greyhound fatalities. The report states that 34 dogs were killed on racetracks, and 165 euthanised for undisclosed reasons during the 2019/20 season. Read more